


Eternity Waits

by totally4ryo



Series: Waiting [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2018-03-18 06:44:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3560009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totally4ryo/pseuds/totally4ryo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after Wait For Me. Jack and Ianto are living together and have a two month old son. Aliens invade the Hub, causing destruction, including in the cryo-units. Things go from bad to worse when they discover the Rift Manipulator has also suffered damage. They have to pull together in hopes that they won't suffer anymore loss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by: milady_dragon  
> Notes: I have been asked many times to do this fic. I started it some time back originally for a big bang, but couldn't get it going. I ended up scrapping most of it to start again. Finally it's done. Lots and lots of hugs to milady_dragon, bookwrm89 and cyberdigi for the cheerleading and support. Without them, this would never have been finished. For those of you who wanted it, I hope this was worth the wait.

Ianto shifted the shelf unit that was blocking the doorway and peered into the dark corridor. He took his torch out of his jacket pocket and turned it on. Even if he had been expecting to find what he did, he still let out a string of curses. He glanced behind him, flashing his torch on the way he had come from deeper in the Archives. It was going to take a lot of cleaning, and he was thankful because it could have been worse. From the way he was initially knocked off his feet and he felt the rumble from the blast, Ianto was expecting much worse. The damage in the Archives was not extensive. The blasts that had rocked the Hub mostly knocked over shelving units. Thankfully the containment units did their job in protecting the more dangerous alien tech and kept it from going off; or if anything did, contained any damage. It was going to be quite the job checking everything.  
  
Ianto had to remind himself that there was still the rest of the Hub which spread extensively underground. He was in the very lower levels and further from where the alien bombs set off.   
At least he was assured that the central area of the Hub was in one piece…more or less. Thankfully his comm. unit still was working. He had managed to speak to their tech expert who was in the Central Hub when the explosives went off.  
  
He had learned from Celine, their computer technician, that the bulk of the damage was down in the vaults and the tunnels that led from there before Daniel, their medic, had dragged her into the autopsy bay. Their new medical section was cut off from the central Hub because of damage and debris in the corridor leading to it. Gwen was currently trying to get out from near the vault area, assisted by Dwayne Moore, who had been a field agent for a year. They had gone down to investigate the intruder alert.   
  
Ianto had been in the lower levels of the Archives when they’d gotten the intruder alert. The intruders arrived near the cells, which were not directly accessible from where Ianto had been. Gwen and Dwayne had headed immediately to the coordinates where the intruders were while Ianto informed them he would join them as soon as he could. Cameron, the newest field agent in training as well as handling support, rushed down from where he had been in the Tourist Office, and then went on to catch up with Gwen and Dwayne.   
  
Ianto's way up to the main Hub was slowed down getting around fallen things and parts of masonry. He was able to get in touch with Celine again, who reported that Gwen and Dwayne were able to subdue the aliens as the intruders were making their way from the vaults up to the main Hub.   
  
Ianto needed to get up to the main section of the Hub and then make his way up to the surface. They had limited communication in the Hub and the last Ianto had heard from Celine, they had no communication to the surface. Ianto had tried calling Jack from his mobile anyway, but he had no reception.   
  
As he slowly made his way through the rubble in the next section, his mind was on Jack. His immortal partner had to be frantic. Ianto was certain the explosion had been felt at least in the bay area, maybe further. Being they lived in the area, over one area of disused sections of the Hub, if Jack didn’t feel it, which Ianto thought very unlikely, he was certain Jack would have heard something had happened near the Hub by now.  
  
Jack had been home with Franklin. The immortal had been doing a lot of that since Franklin was born two months ago. Jack was having separation anxiety, but he had had a difficult pregnancy and had almost lost the baby. Jack did not want to be far from Franklin for long periods of time, but Ianto did not want the baby in the Hub anymore than in extreme emergencies. He had his own anxiety with their son, and worried about what could happen if they had him at work with them. It was not that he did not feel the Hub was a secure place; he worried more if some alien tech went off while the baby was in the Hub. They were working on a contained area to work with alien tech. Once it was complete, and Ianto was assured any reverberations of tech gone bad did not reach the central Hub, would he feel better about having Franklin in the Hub for more than a short period of time.   
  
He was glad their son was not with them that day. He did not want to think what could have happened if they had. He pushed on, glad that as he got closer to the main area of the Hub, the damage seemed to be less. Ianto figured that the most damage was in the vaults and did not look forward to having to dig out the bodies entombed there, and having to find new places to inter them.  
  
First things first. The first thing Ianto did upon reaching the main area was a head count. Celine was going to need a few days off but she would be fine after some rest. Daniel was fine. Gwen and Dwayne were still on their way up, along with the lone alien that had survived. To his dismay, they had a missing team member. Their newest recruit had not met up with Gwen and Dwayne when the explosion went off and had not been heard from since.  
  
Ianto desperately wanted to go to the surface and get a call through to Jack, but he had to find Cameron first. Jack and Franklin were fine, even if Jack would be frantic.  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
Ianto was relieved that the Invisible Lift was still operational. He had to get out of the Hub for a while. Attempts at interrogating their prisoner led to no explanation why they had wanted to blow up the Hub. Even more curious was how they had managed to get inside the Hub. Thankfully they were not fully successful. He was looking at a week, at the least, of cleaning up, restacking shelves and repairing areas that had some structural damage. That wasn’t the worse of it. Gwen and Dwayne had found Cameron; his body was in a collapsed part of a tunnel on their way to the central Hub with their prisoner the tunnel coming from the Hub. Ianto had not been in the Vaults yet to inspect the damage and add to his list of things to do. He would do that after he spoke to Jack.  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
Jack was frantic as he paced the lounge with two month old Franklin in one arm and mobile in his other. Gwen did not answer her phone again and he was trying Ianto for the fourth time. He had tried the others' mobiles, the direct link in his office and the tourist office with no luck. He had been trying ever since he’d felt the ground shake and worried that it had something to do with the Hub. His fears seem to be confirmed when he heard on the news reports of what appeared to be an explosion by the Plass, but there was no visible evidence of it. No one answering their phones at the Hub told Jack that it had happened in the Hub and that was bad.  
  
He wanted to run to the Hub and see what happened, hoping to find his team alive, to find his husband alive, but he had Franklin to think about. He could not go charging down into the Hub with his infant son in tow. His first thought was to rush over to Rhiannon's to drop the baby off, but he feared she would ask questions he had no answers for and did not want to panic her. His next choice was to call Rhys and see if he would take the baby, but again he did not want him to be worried about Gwen. Besides, Gwen and Rhys lived further from the Hub while Ianto's sister had a townhouse in the same development.  
  
His dilemma was taken out of his hands when the landline rang. With hope he rushed through the flat and pick up the handset. After a quick look at the caller ID, he let out a sigh of relief when he saw Ianto’s name. “Ianto!” he almost shouted. Franklin started to grizzle and Jack started to bounce the baby to settling out of his hands when the phone rang. “What the hell happened?”  
  
“I think you better get here, Jack,” Ianto said over the phone. “Could you drop Frankie off with Rhiannon? We’re going to need Rhys here too.”  
  
“That doesn’t tell me what’s going on,” Jack stated impatiently. He placed the handset so he could hold it between his shoulder and ear and use his now freed hand to rub his infant son's back. Franklin was starting to fret more, and Jack realized his tone of voice was most likely adding to the infant's distress.  
  
"We had intruders in the Hub,” Ianto stated harshly, “and they set off several explosive devices which all went off at the same time. They also managed to knock out all communications.” Jack heard Ianto take a deep breath. “Jack, Cam is dead.”  
  
“Oh God,” Jack swore. “How?”  
  
“Part of the passage he was in collapsed on him. By the time Gwen and Dwayne found him, he was gone.”  
  
“Damn,” Jack swore softly. He took a deep ragged breath, suddenly overcome with a combination of grief, relief and guilt. Grief that he had lost another member of his team, relief that it was not Ianto, and guilt for his relief. It was never okay to lose someone on his team, no matter who it was. “Okay,” he finally said, realizing that he must have been projecting more. Franklin started to whine, and he knew if he did not get a better grip on his emotions, the baby will be full out crying soon enough. He was amazed that before Ianto called, that his son did not start already. The infant was proving to be very receptive to both his fathers' emotions. “I’ll take Frankie to Rhi’s and be there as soon as I can.”  
  
“I’m going to call Rhys in and give us a hand,” Ianto said. “The Hub is a mess, unfortunately.”  
  
“Contact Andy and see if he could hold off the local authorities for us for now. I’ll be there as fast as I can,” Jack said.  
  
“I’ll let Rhi know you’re on your way,” Ianto said. “I’ll see you soon.”  
  
Jack looked up when he heard banging on the front door, followed by the doorbell ringing, and a familiar voice demanding that “someone better open the bloody door now!” Franklin's crying increased and Jack cuddled him closer, trying to project some semblance of calm to the baby.  
  
“Never mind,” he said into the phone. “I think Rhiannon wants answers. I’m pretty sure I hear her voice with the banging going on.” He started across the lounge to the hallway.  
  
“She’s there?” Ianto sounded amused. “I’m surprised it took her this long.”  
  
“She was at Mica’s school this morning, cookie day or something. Remember?” Jack said. “She must have felt it on the way back or something. Anyway, I’ll let you go and I’ll be there as soon as she lets me go. Love you.” Jack went to hang up but paused. “Ianto?”  
  
“Yes Jack.”  
  
“I’m so glad that you’re okay.” Jack’s voice trembled as he spoke.  
  
“I’m fine, Jack. Could use a shower and change of clothes but I don’t dare until we take care of the important stuff.”  
  
“It’s going to be a long night. I’ll pack for an overnight.”  
  
“Bye, Jack.”  
  
“See you soon.”  
  
Jack closed off the call and after shifting Franklin into a one-armed hold, he dropped the handset onto a table in the hall. He stood for a few more moments, ignoring the commotion at the door while cuddling Franklin, thankful that Ianto was okay, but upset that their newest member faced the consequences that all Torchwood members eventually face…except for him. He cuddled Franklin closer, allowing himself a moment to feel the pain of losing another team member; another one so young. Tears glistened in his eyes for Cameron, but as his thoughts turned to one day Torchwood finally taking Ianto from him, the tears really started to fall. He kissed Franklin’s head. “I think it’s time to once again attempt to convince your Tad to be a stay at home dad. Or maybe even opening a coffee shop. That way we’ll both have him around for a longer time.” He took another deep breath and kissed his son again before heading to the door to let a frantic Rhiannon Evans in. “Rhi,” he greeted, “I was on the phone with Ianto. He's fine, yes there was an incident at the Hub, and I'll tell you more while I pack Frankie's overnight bag, because you'll have to take him until we get everything under control.”  
  
Rhiannon gaped for a moment before she pushed past Jack. “You better start talking,” she demanded as she headed for the nursery.   
  
Jack looked down at the still whimpering baby and shrugged, before closing the door and following his sister-in-law. She was in a mood, but Jack couldn't blame her. He just hoped she would let him go sooner than later.  
  
OoOoOoO   
  
Once he was released from Rhiannon's questioning and had packed a bag for Franklin as well as thrown a change of clothes for both him and Ianto in a rucksack, they left the townhouse he shared with Ianto. As he watched Ianto's sister walk in the direction of her townhouse with a now happy Franklin, Jack realized he had to get to Ianto as soon as possible, reaffirm that his husband was still with him. He had been that way long before their civil partnership, ever since alien tech had taken Ianto away. For three long days, Jack had started to think he would never see Ianto again until the missing man had suddenly appeared in the Hub. He had passed out almost immediately after his return. When Ianto woke up, he could not remember much about where he had gone, except that he had help in getting the device to work and take him back, although he could not remember his rescuers. That was a turning point in their relationship because during those days Jack had discovered just what Ianto meant to him.  
  
Jack decided to run to the Hub, going along the waterside walkways from the development along the Britannia Quay to the Hub. He could have taken the underground passage from their townhouse that led to the vast complex of tunnels connected to the Hub, but he could not be sure anything was blocked from the explosions. He had to be at the Hub with no delay and taking the surface way was his best bet.   
  
It took him less time to get to the Hub than it did to calm Rhiannon down so he could get Franklin's things together for her and get the baby in a better mood.  
  
Jack arrived in the Hub via the Tourist Information Office, glad to see damage by the explosion deep within the Hub was minimal. Only some things were knocked over from the shaking he knew it had taken. The entire area had felt it, but no one knew what had caused it. He was certain that Andy had handled keeping any emergency response teams from attempting to locate the cause. Except for the one casualty in the Hub, no one was injured even if most of the people in the area were shaken, and some of the businesses had minor damage, like broken windows and items that had fallen. He heard sirens and from what he saw on his way over, he knew that some emergency teams would have to be called to assist in the clean-up. It was going to be a mess in the area for a while.  
  
He made his way down into the Hub. As he cleared the cogwheel door, he saw that there was some damage from the explosion, but nothing that cleaning up wouldn’t take care of. He looked around and saw Rhys sweeping the area, but no sign of the others.  
  
“Hey Rhys,” Jack called out, coming over to him. “Thanks for coming down so quickly.” He realized that dealing with Rhiannon took longer than for Rhys to get to the Hub and start being productive.  
  
“Hey Jack. It’s no problem.” Rhys glanced quickly around the Hub. “In case you’re wondering, Celine is checking over the Secure Archives, Dwayne is with Ianto interrogating the prisoner and Gwen ran out to get coffee. The coffee machine took a beating again.” Rhys fell silent for a moment, glancing down. As he looked up again, he added, “Daniel is in autopsy with Cam.”  
  
Jack nodded, swallowing thickly, forcing his emotions under control. “I heard,” he said. “I’m going to look after the others.”  
  
“If any of you need anything, yell,” Rhys said.  
  
Jack patted Rhys on his shoulder. “Thanks, Rhys.” He went on his way toward autopsy for his first stop.  
  
Jack walked over to the autopsy bay and stared down. Sadly, he watched for a few minutes as Daniel prepared Cameron’s body for burial until the medic looked up.  
  
“I thought I felt someone staring at me,” Daniel quipped. He tried a smile that did not reach his eyes. “I’m sorry, Captain. There was nothing I could do by the time they found him.”  
  
Jack continued to stare down at the body on the autopsy table, guilt and regret having a hold on him. “I’m sorry too.” He let out a heavy sigh.  
  
“Ianto said he would handle notifying his family. “  
  
“Release the body to them,” Jack stated.  
  
This was the first death since they had lost Toshiko and Owen. Jack had released Toshiko’s body to her family, for a proper burial. He’d made up his mind since then that if any deceased Torchwood member had a family, a story would be made up to cover up the cause of death and release the body to the family. There would be exceptions, but that would be on a case by case basis.  
  
“Ianto said you would say that,” Daniel said. “Despite what it says in those manuals he made us read when we first come aboard.”  
  
Jack snorted. “Yeah, they’re slightly outdated in areas. I think once we get things back to normal here, I need to sit down with him and bring those manuals up to date.” He shook his head slowly. “Not that I would be anxious to put any of the new procedures to use.”  
  
“Whatever you think is best,” Daniel stated.  
  
Daniel Townshed had been in his late 30’s when they had recruited him the year before. The team had dealt with him several times before Jack decided the blond had what it took to come work for Torchwood. They had already had Celine for a few months when Daniel became a member of the team. And quickly fit in. It was good to have a doctor on the team again, but Jack’s intention was for the new doctor to keep them alive, not have to prepare anyone from the team for burial.  
  
Cameron Andrews had been 22 and had been with Torchwood for only a few months. He was still being trained as a field agent while doing general support, which would have been his main job. Once he was hired, it freed Ianto up completely to do all the things he had proven himself more qualified to do than sit in the TI office and pick up after them. It had become Cameron’s job. Before Cameron, Rhys would help out at times, but it was still part of Ianto's duties.  
  
Jack wondered once again if he should hire Rhys on full-time. He was good at taking care of those things, but not with the detail Ianto had. Cameron hadn’t either, Jack thought, but it had freed Ianto up. However, now after this and losing Cameron, he doubted Gwen would go for it, and Jack would not blame her. He would love it if Ianto decided to leave Torchwood. It would give them more years together.  
  
Then again, whenever they called Rhys in, he always ended up assisting them in the field, and most times Gwen did not have too much trouble with it. Rhys had even been trained for the field when it became evident that he was a standby to assist them when Gwen was pregnant for the first time. Ianto and Jack figured Gwen was fine with it as long as he didn't do it all the time for a living, and kept his job with Harwood’s. Ianto had wondered once if they should still bring in Rhys as another field agent, and find someone else for the general duties. Ianto was of the opinion of adding numbers to the team. He knew he could get the funding for salaries from the Queen. His argument was they wouldn't be so stretched, and therefore might increase their chances of a longer life while working for Torchwood. Jack was against it, and while he never gave any solid reasons, Ianto had suspected that it was because Jack preferred the smaller, more intimate team. When Ianto had confronted Jack on his suspicions, Jack admitted was because he was wary of building up the team, fearing of one day it would resemble Torchwood One. Ianto doubted it would go that far, but even if it did, Jack's Torchwood would never be Torchwood One. Ianto spent some time making sure Jack knew it.  
  
Right now Jack had to ask Rhys to lend a hand while they found a replacement for Cameron because as much as Jack preferred for Ianto to stay back in the Hub, he could not expect his partner to take on duties that were technically a demotion. Ianto had already been beyond just general support even before they had lost Toshiko and Owen  
  
He gazed down at Cameron again, fighting back the pain of losing another team member, one who in his short time with them had become a good friend. The young man had also taken to Franklin well; Cam would gladly look after the baby whenever they had to bring him into the Hub.   
  
Jack and Ianto really did not like bringing their son in, which was why Jack ended up staying home unless he was needed. Between separation anxiety and not wanting to have Franklin in the Hub all the time, at least until they both felt the Hub was baby-proofed as much as possible; he was more or less working part-time until he was able to leave the baby with Ianto’s sister for a full day. Still he knew the wrong one was working part-time. It should be Ianto, not him, putting him in less a chance of getting killed on the job. He did not want to lose Ianto, ever, but he knowing that was impossible, he would settle for at least ten years if not more, as long as Ianto remained with Torchwood. He found it hard to believe they could be so lucky, however. He also did not want their son to have to grow up not having his two fathers.  
  
He took Cam’s cold hand in his. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, as if speaking too loud would wake the dead man. “I’m so sorry, Cam. I thought you had at least a few years before ending up here.”  
  
A hand clamped onto Jack’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Jack,” Ianto said from behind him. “You weren’t even here when it happened.”  
  
“Maybe if I was,” Jack started.  
  
“Don’t,” Ianto warned him. “We hardly had a chance. If they managed to get past our detectors, I don’t know how you being here would have made a difference. They were in before we could do anything. They already had the explosives set by the time Gwen and Dwayne got there. There was nothing more anyone else could do.”  
  
Jack nodded. “I know you’re right, but I can’t help thinking it.”  
  
Ianto slipped his arm around Jack’s waist and started to lead Jack. “I need to check in with Andy. He’s doing damage control with the authorities. I’m afraid we had another gas leak.” He shrugged. “I’ll meet you in your office.”  
  
“Okay. Then I want a team meeting.”  
  
“Of course. I figured it was on the agenda. I also figured it was going to be a long night, so I managed to convince Gwen that we needed lunch, while I question our prisoner.”  
  
Jack snorted. “I’m surprised she didn’t insist on helping you.”  
  
Ianto grinned. “She didn’t have a choice. It was either going to get food or picking up while Rhys goes.”  
  
Jack let out a chuckle.  
  
Ianto indicated toward Daniel. “Once Dan is done with Cam, he’s going to start autopsies on our prisoners.”  
  
“Good,” Jack said and then frowned. “Are we sure they won’t try another attempt?”  
  
Ianto squeezed Jack’s shoulder. “We’ll talk in your office.”  
  
Jack glanced down at Daniel and turned to go into his office. 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO  
  
  
Jack waited impatiently, idly reading over some reports that had been sitting in his inbox while Ianto coordinated with not only Andy, but with the others in the Hub.   
  
He looked up when he heard someone enter his office, knowing it was Ianto. “What's going on?” Jack asked as Ianto came over to his desk.  
  
Ianto sat in one of the chairs on the other side, leaning forward. “They arrived with no warning, which surprised us completely. They arrived directly in the Hub down in Level 8C.”  
  
“We haven't used that level in ages,” Jack remarked.  
  
“True, so damage from that blast was minimal, except for some structure damage. I checked the secret entry from that extension and it's still secure. We are going to need UNIT engineering to do some work. We also have some blockage to our private tunnel.”  
  
Jack nodded. “Have the forms ready and I'll sign them. Concentrate first on structural integrity and our tunnel.”  
  
Ianto nodded in agreement. “We should check what, if any, damage is on the other side of the blockage. I doubt there is any damage on the home end, but best to check and be on the safe side. We also suffered massive damage in the vaults. They were heading up to the central Hub when Gwen and Dwayne apprehended them. I haven't been able to have an extensive look at damage yet, but according to Gwen, it's bad down there. I'll open the vaults in another section to move the bodies first chance I get.”  
  
“We'll make it a joint effort. I don't want to see you doing it all yourself.” Jack gave Ianto a warning glare that meant no arguments. “More important right now is do we have any idea who we are dealing with? What did they want with the Hub?” Jack asked.  
  
“They call themselves the Rhiarlti, which is the little information we were able to get out of our prisoner. I managed to tighten up Hub integrity against anymore attacks but you know that they shouldn't have been able to do what they did with our defences,” Ianto replied.  
  
“Meaning we could be open to another attack and not know until they arrive,” Jack stated.  
  
“Exactly.”  
  
“What do they want? The Hub?” Jack asked, more to himself.  
  
“I don't know,” Ianto sighed. “He's not very forthcoming with the information.”  
  
Gwen arrived in the doorway, knocking on the open door and smiling when the two men looked up. She entered the office holding two coffees. “Here you go. Dwayne is on his way up. Apparently he had a breakthrough,” she said as Ianto took both coffees with a grateful smile and handed one to Jack.  
  
“What kind of breakthrough?” Jack asked as he took the cup from Ianto. He held it up in salute to Gwen with a smile. “Thanks for the coffee.”  
  
Gwen returned Jack's smile and rubbed Ianto's shoulder. “I figure coffee is an important thing, especially after this morning. Anyway, Dwayne was able to get our prisoner to say that they came to stop the immortal one.” Her eyes rested on Jack.  
  
Ianto turned from Gwen to look at Jack with concern. “They want you?”  
  
“It won't be the first time,” Jack replied after letting out a snort, and shrugged.  
  
“You are more in demand than I'm comfortable with at times,” Ianto commented. Gwen nodded in agreement.  
  
“So now what?” Jack asked.  
  
Gwen and Ianto exchanged a look, both shaking their heads.  
  
“You're the boss,” Gwen pointed out. “So what now?”  
  
“Do we have anything on the race?” Jack asked.  
  
“That's the interesting part,” Ianto replied. “I was expecting a reaction from you or at least recognition.”  
  
“Why's that?” Jack asked.  
  
“Because what we have of the Rhiarlti was entered into our database back in 1917 by you,” Ianto replied. At Jack's surprised expression, Ianto added, “At least the original document is in your handwriting and signed by you.”  
  
“A lot has happened since then,” Jack commented defensively.  
  
“I know, Jack,” Ianto assured him. “That's probably why you entered everything you were able to remember back when you did.”  
  
“Do we know how they got in the Hub?” Jack asked. He shared a look with Ianto. While they always made precautions, they still considered the Hub a safe zone. It was supposed to be a place that, when the rest of Cardiff is threatened, they felt having everyone including family to come to the Hub and stay safe was an option. Now that sense of security was gone, and as soon as they dealt with this, along with the cleanup, they would be working on once again upgrading the Hub defences. Jack had a distant look for a moment and then leaned forward, resting his arms on the surface of his desk. “What I remember of them is a subservient race by my time, with their population greatly reduced.”   
  
“Were they always so?” Gwen asked.  
  
“Probably not,” said Ianto. “From what I've seen so far, usually it's the warrior races that finally invaded the wrong world and were put in their places.”  
  
“Exactly,” Jack said, pulling up the files Ianto had flagged for him and on another screen called up the CCTV footage of the cell with their prisoner in it. Dwayne was walking away, most likely having enough for the time. “Oh hell, now I remember them. They were a warrior race. By the end of the 32nd century, there was a revolution amongst the races under their rule. It was a brutal regime, all headed by a self-proclaimed royal family on Rhiarlti. Apparently the Human Empire got involved and sent teams in for humanitarian efforts. One of the teams went undercover and decimated the entire royal family.”  
  
“Which eventually freed the other worlds,” Ianto surmised.  
  
“Exactly. The rest of the race did not take to the new government and attempted to overthrow it, which did not go well. Those who rebelled or helped in relief efforts during the rebellion and anyone after who were willing to adapt to a new peaceful way of life were transported to other worlds of their choosing. Then all technology was removed from the planet and the entire world was closed to other worlds.” Jack leaned back. “All their transport vehicles were removed, all computers and all forms of technology beyond the very basics...gone. Only ships were able to go in and out of the capital city, where the only spaceport existed. You needed a pass to get in and out of the city. The capital city was also the only place advanced technology existed. It was where the government set forth by the Human Empire lived and ruled. They were not unnecessarily cruel in ruling. People still had food to eat; they were given work to do, but were treated better than they had treated the worlds once under their rule. However, they were still being punished, even for generations after. I remember them as a subservient race; they are sold off world as servants.”  
  
“Does that make the new government any better if they are selling them off generations later? The people alive now did not do the crime, so why do they have to pay?” Gwen asked.  
  
“No slaves, from what I understand,” Ianto said, “Servants.”  
  
“Is there a difference?” Gwen asked.  
  
“They get paid for the work they do. They get a roof over their heads and meals,” Jack commented. “Yes, there is a difference. Never slaves. They never did feel what they did to those under their rule,” Jack said. “Basically once you leave the capitol city, you go into a medieval-like society.”  
  
Ianto looked thoughtful, leaning back in his seat. “That’s more than what is in the database,” he pointed out.  
  
“I started to remember more as I started to talk. Now I remember learning some of it in general history of the Human Empire while in school. I learnt more in the Time Agency, but obviously forgot some since until now,” Jack defended.  
  
Ianto was mulling over what Jack told him as Gwen still look unsettled. Finally he looked at Jack. “Interesting,” he said.  
  
Jack started to open his mouth, wanting to ask what was on Ianto’s mind, but noticed Dwayne appearing in the doorway. Ianto turned to see what caught Jack’s attention and indicated for the other man to join them. Gwen also turned and smiled as Dwayne entered the office.  
  
Jack studied Dwayne and seemed to come to a decision. “Dwayne, go home, and don’t come back until noon tomorrow,” he demanded. “Tell the others the same applies to them. We have some major cleanup ahead, but I want everyone to get some rest first.”  
  
“I’m not going to argue,” Dwayne commented, “but that does apply to you two, I hope.”  
  
“Ianto and I have more to do, but yes, I’m going to make sure we get some rest.”  
  
Ianto looked at Jack. “Considering circumstances, I suggest leaving Frankie with Rhiannon and staying here. I might be paranoid, but I do not want give any indication of our family life.”  
  
“And getting Frankie caught in the middle,” Jack added. “That’s not an option.”  
  
Ianto had to agree with Jack. “As well as Rhiannon and her family,” he had to add.   
  
“Best leave everyone where they are then,” Jack said. He looked over to the Welshwoman. “Gwen, we’re going to need you for a while longer, but send Rhys home. I’ll make sure you join him in a couple of hours,” Jack ordered.  
  
“What if there is another attack?” Gwen asked, concerned for Jack and Ianto. Her eyes rested on Jack. “We do know they are after you.”  
  
“Then I’ll handle it,” Jack stated. “As you said, they want me, the immortal one. I won’t risk anyone else. Dwayne, you and everyone else get out now. Gwen, you and Ianto are to stay but only until we do some interrogating. Then you and Ianto get out too. Ianto, if need be, take a hotel room just for tonight, because I don’t want either of us near the house.”  
  
“With nothing to change into tomorrow?” Ianto asked.  
  
“You have clothes here to pack for an overnight.”  
  
“Or leave without you,” Ianto added. “No Jack. If you’re staying here in the Hub, then so am I.”  
  
Jack glared at Ianto, and seeing the determination in his partner’s eyes, let out a sigh. “We’ll talk about this later after we do what we have to.”  
  
“Perhaps,” Ianto replied stubbornly.  
  
“Meanwhile everyone else but Gwen, get out. If in five minutes I still see people around here other than Gwen and Ianto, I’ll… well, I’ll think of something that bosses do when employees don’t listen.”  
  
Ianto had to smirk at that.   
  
“I don’t think that there will be another team,” Dwayne stated. “So you can relax about that, Jack.” At Jack’s inquiring look, he continued, “Considering what I provoked the alien into saying, that this was the only team with the tech to do so. It was a one shot mission. And they failed.”  
  
“But there’s still one alive. I know our cells are mostly reliable, and we confiscated their tech, but I don’t trust it. Or them,” Ianto commented.  
  
“What exactly did happen to the others?” Jack asked.  
  
“We cut down one and the other two started to take a pill,” Gwen explained. “We were only able to get to the one we have in the cells. Apparently it was quick-acting poison, because the one who took the pill went down almost immediately.”  
  
“They didn’t want to take chances of giving away too much,” Jack assumed.  
  
“Seems like that,” Ianto agreed with Gwen and Dwayne nodding in agreement. “It makes sense.” He looked at Jack as he spoke. “I was already thinking suicide mission based on those actions alone.”  
  
“Celine and I agree that there was nothing in the confiscated tech that appeared to be an exit for them,” Dwayne reported.  
  
“There is one device that is burnt out,” Ianto added. “I’m guessing it was what they used to get in and it shorted shortly after.”  
  
“There are, however,” Dwayne added, “an overabundance of explosives and basic alien weapons. No communication devices either.”  
  
Jack looked thoughtful. “I doubt we’ll get anything out of our guest. He might even attempt to provoke us into killing him since his suicide attempt was foiled.”  
  
“Unless we have something to provoke him into giving us what we want to know,” Ianto said.  
  
“And then we’ll kill him,” Jack stated firmly.  
  
“Jack!” Gwen yelped in dismay.  
  
“Why not, Gwen? We can’t keep him indefinitely. He damaged the Hub and he killed Cameron. Right now I don’t have it in me to act compassionately,” Jack snapped.  
  
“But only after we find a way to break him,” Ianto added.  
  
Gwen glared at Ianto.  
  
Ianto looked directly at her. “For Cameron,” he stated evenly.   
  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
  
Gwen looked into Ianto’s eyes, and saw he meant it. He was not just backing up his partner. He felt the same and was not going to back down or apologise any more than Jack would. It was then that she knew Ianto had the same stuff as Jack to make the decisions that no one seemed to. She had to admit that revenging Cameron was tempting, but she didn’t have it in her to be a cold blood killer. Standing before the aliens, with their weapons aimed at her and threatening the Hub and everyone in there was one thing, and she was all for self-defense, but not killing someone trapped in one of their cells and unarmed.  
  
She shrugged. “I won’t have any part of it.” She gave both men a defiant look. She knew the two enough that they would not back down, but she wanted to make sure they knew where she stood.  
  
“We’ll wait until you leave then,” Jack stated. He pushed his chair away from the desk. “Right. Everyone but Gwen and Ianto go home now.” He looked at Gwen. “That includes Rhys. When we are all back from some rest, everyone will be pitching in for more assessment and cleanup.”  
  
Dwayne looked at Jack. “What about my report?”  
  
“What you gave us is enough for now,” Jack said. “Thank you. Now go rest.” He gave Dwayne a gentle smile.  
  
With a nod, Dwayne left the office. As he made his way to his workstation, he called out to Celine, who was working at her workstation, and Rhys for them to leave. Ianto stood up and watched as Rhys made his way to the autopsy bay and then look up toward Jack’s office.  
  
“I’ll go make sure Rhys leaves, yeah?” Gwen stated. “There's lunch in the conference room. I'll leave it for us. The others can fend for themselves now that they're leaving.” She smiled at them.  
  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
  
“Thank you, Gwen,” Ianto said, smiling back. The two men watched as she left the office and headed in the direction of the autopsy bay.  
  
Jack pulled his chair back to his desk and fixed his gaze on Ianto. “Now mind telling me what you’re thinking?”  
  
“That there is one defence we are constantly needing to upgrade, which is what Celine is working on now based on what she was able to extrapolate from their entry spike, and that is time travellers.”  
  
Jack looked stunned for a moment, realising that he should have thought about it. Celine, with Ianto’s help was constantly working on Toshiko’s time bubble so it would one day activate automatically in the area of any unauthorised entry to the Hub. That would be the best defence, as even with Jack’s knowledge of the future, they were unable to set the system against every imaginable means of time travel. They were still yet able to extend the bubble to come up in the lower levels, which would have come in handy earlier that day. If they could accomplish that, then the Hub would be completely safe from intruders.  
  
“There is also the possibility that you go on to work for whatever organisation the Human Empire sent to Rhiarlti for relief efforts,” Ianto continued.  
  
Jack stared at Ianto with shock. “Oh god, I never even considered it. It does make sense now that you bring it up. Especially if it’s me they want.”  
  
“That they were able to get into the Hub gives it a 90% possibility of them being from the future,” Ianto pointed out. “And that they are looking for you and considering what became of them, it’s a sure bet that you were part of the team that took out the royal family. Besides, races with long lives aside, how many other immortals do you know?”  
  
Jack shrugged, looking sad. “Other than me? No one.” He quickly shook the sudden morose mood away. He told himself he would not dwell on it while he still had a family. With a fierce look of determination he stated, “And I’ll be damned if something I did not yet do threatens my family and friends. Let’s see if we can rattle our guest and get more from him. I need to make sure that there really won’t be a rescue party showing up anytime soon.” Jack stood up and headed for the door.  
  
Ianto was right behind and followed his partner down the stairs and over to where Gwen was working on the computer. Everyone else had just left the Hub.  
  
“Gwen, Ianto and I are going down to the cells. Pull it up on CCTV and get a recording. We might miss something in the translation that we could catch later. I think we have an angle to break him.” He traded a look with Ianto who smirked and winked at Jack.  
  
“Okay Jack. Oh Ianto, the tech collected from our visitors are at your workstation. I tried searching through the database to identify any of it with no luck.”  
  
“What about the weapons?” Jack asked.  
  
“I locked them in the armoury,” Ianto replied.  
  
Jack nodded and looked Ianto in the eyes. “Let’s see what we have first here then.” He went over to Ianto’s workstation, with the Welshman following and was about to pick one of the items up when an alarm went off. He stared at Jack, fear in his eyes. He saw the same reflected back to him.  
  
“What the hell is that?” Gwen asked, never having heard that particular alarm before.  
  
“Bad news,” Jack said, as he rushed over to where Celine's workstation was, and started to call up commands. Ianto grabbed a tool kit from under his workstation and raced across the Hub over to the Rift Manipulator.  
  
Watching her two co-workers with concern, Gwen asked, “What's happening?”  
  
“The Rift Manipulator became unstable,” Jack replied, his attention on what he was typing into the computer. “Ianto, I can't override it from here!” he called out.  
  
Ianto started to curse as he opened a panel in the Rift Manipulator and squeezed inside it the cylinder. “How long do we have?” he called out.  
  
“Fifteen minutes, maybe 20 if we're lucky,” Jack replied.  
  
“And then what?” Gwen asked. “What happens in 15 minutes?”  
  
“Do you remember when you opened the Rift Manipulator?” Jack asked.  
  
With a guilty look, Gwen nodded her head. “Yes, I remember. I'll never forget.”  
  
“That was a controlled opening,” Ianto called out from his place inside the Rift Manipulator. He had a scanner out and was turning valves, and pushing buttons. “That's what this does. It harnesses the Rift and keeps it from doing worse damage than what we already have to deal with.”  
  
“Uncontrolled, it can wipe Cardiff off the map,” Jack said. He slammed his hand down on the desk next to the keyboard he was working on. “Only once before did we have the Rift unleashed uncontrollably. Even if we were here when it had happened, there was nothing we would have been able to do, because it went past critical.”  
  
“How did you stop it then?” Gwen asked.  
  
“He didn't,” Ianto replied. “The Doctor did.” He spared a glance in Jack's direction.  
  
“Well, I didn't have all that much to do with stopping it then. Hell, I didn't even know about the Hub back then,” Jack stated. “It did start through a device I was working on at the time, but it wasn't me. We didn't know it was set up to do what it did.” Jack shrugged.  
  
“Where were you then?”  
  
“He was in the TARDIS,” Ianto replied.  
  
Jack nodded, checking the screens. “It was when I was travelling with the Doctor back when I was still mortal. That was 2005.”  
  
Gwen's eyes went wide. “Bloody hell, I remember that! They said it was an unannounced pyrotechnic display, but it sure looked worse, especially with the damage around this area. There were cracks all over the Plass.”  
  
“Goes to show what the power of suggestion can do,” Ianto stated. “Now if one of you would be so kind as to suggest that I can get this fixed in time.”  
  
Jack worked for a couple of more minutes on the computers until he realized there was nothing more he could do through mainframe to stop the Rift Manipulator from going critical, and turned toward the Rift Manipulator. He planned on joining Ianto and see what he could do to help. “Gwen, come over here and monitor the system and tell us if we start getting more green lights than yellow. Or even more yellow lights than red.” He grimaced as he started to walk away.  
  
He froze when a voice came from across the Hub. It was a voice that Jack had started to believe he would never hear again. He knew he should be glad, but instead he was filled with dread. Shoving Gwen behind him, he turned to where the voice came from.  
  
“Gray,” Jack said cautiously.  
  
“Hello big brother,” Gray greeted. “Are you happy to see me?” He gave Jack a crooked grin.  
  
Gwen grabbed onto Jack from behind. “What’s he doing here?”  
  
“Oh crap,” Ianto muttered under his breath, and then moved himself further inside the panel, hoping Gray did not know he was there.  
  
“You couldn’t wait to get rid of me, brother dear,” Gray sneered as he took a step closer to Jack.   
  
“No,” Jack denied. “I wanted to help you. I put you in there with hopes that one day you could be cured.”  
  
“There is only one way to help me, and that is for you to watch everyone and everything that you care about die.”  
  
“Did he have something to do with our guests?” Gwen asked, staring around Jack’s shoulder with big wide eyes at Jack’s brother.  
  
“Guests?” Gray asked, taking a step closer. “I’m working alone this time, and I do plan to finish what I started. It's a bonus that I had help to achieve it.” He smirked as he stared at Jack and Gwen. “Is this what is left of your precious team, brother? How much did it hurt to lose them? She was sweet little thing. Shame I had to kill her.”  
  
Jack clamped down, trying not to let the tears flow. It still hurt whenever he thought of losing Toshiko and Owen, but it started to become a dull pain, which was good because he wanted to remember them and it was becoming easier without being overcome with grief. Today all the pain was back, adding Cameron to his losses. He had to wonder if somehow Gray was involved, but could not figure out how.  
  
He didn’t have time to think of it now. He started to reach for his gun.  
  
“Oh no. I’ll shoot you and then who will cover her?.” Gray held an alien looking gun.  
  
“You’ll probably kill us anyway,” Gwen commented, peering out further from behind Jack.  
  
“All is the operative word,” Gray sneered, holding the gun on Jack. “Because my dear big brother, always the favourite one, always the one who got everything. You survived that day uninjured and went on to become the one who cannot die. You always cheated; you still do, including death. So I'll kill you, and then Jackson my big brother, she'll die while you have to live with it.” Gray started to slowly walk closer. “If you stay dead long enough, you'll come back to discover a lot more than just your sweet thing here will die. As I said, brother dear, I want to destroy your world,” he snarled.  
  
Ianto peered out as much as he dared, noticing it was one of the Rhiarlti's weapon, and realised they did not account for the dead alien having a gun. He cursed himself again for his oversight. He should have done something about that too.  
  
He also realised that Gray apparently did not know about him, so he went further into the small chamber and hid himself against a panel, hoping to stay out of sight. He hoped that both Jack and Gwen also came to the same conclusion. It could be to their advantage, except Ianto had left his gun on a ledge outside the Rift Manipulator because he did not want the chance of the gun interfering with his work. While it was close, if he was not careful, he could expose himself if he went for the gun.   
  
So he had to keep himself out of sight, hidden inside the Rift Manipulator in a spot where he was able to monitor what was going on to the best that he could until Jack's crazed brother was distracted enough so he could get his gun.  
  
“What are you planning?” Jack demanded of his brother.  
  
“Why? So you can stop me? I don't think so. Let's just say that your precious city that you seem to be so fond of will no longer exist when I'm done.” Gray smirked. “It will most probably also take me out.”  
  
Ianto clamped down on letting out a strangled noise as he felt the blood drain from his face. He felt a cold chill, realising their son was also in danger, if Gray has his way. He shifted his body slightly, wanting to still work on stablising the Rift Manipulator while still able to keep an eye on Gray. Despite the seriousness of the situation before, Ianto was certain he would have had it stabilised in time, but now that he had to work slowly and carefully, he was not so sure. He knew the best chance would be to take Gray out first.  
  
Jack stood stone still. “You do realise I'm going to have to stop you,” he said in a tight cold voice. “Even if I have to kill you.”  
  
“You see, I figured that too.” He studied Jack. “There's someone out there that you are protecting,” he crowed. Gray's eyes looked behind Jack to Gwen, as if remembering she was still there. A cold smile grew on his face. “You have a family,” he stated. “And when I destroy Cardiff, I'm going to kill your family too, aren't I?”  
  
Ianto shuddered for a moment before the hatred for his partner's brother surged through him. Long lost brother or not, it was bad enough when they were being threatened, but now the crazy bastard's plan will harm their son.   
  
Ianto wasn't having any of that, and he knew Jack felt the same. He knew Gwen was scared too. Her husband was out there, along with her children. Ianto pressed a sequence of buttons, and turned a dial. The Rift Manipulator made a sound. It was not safe yet, but Ianto let out a silent sigh of relief knowing there would be more yellow and green bars within the next few minutes. Meaning he could now divert his attention on Gray, and be ready to step in if Jack and Gwen were unable to handle it.  
  
“You could try to shoot me first, brother dear, but I'll still get you. And I have this set that the blast will go right through you and get her. So she'll die anyway.”  
  
“So? We wait until Cardiff blows up?” Jack asked.  
  
“Sounds good to me,” Gray stated. His eyes went to the monitor for the Rift Manipulator. “Why are those red bars turning yellow?” he asked, his eyes narrowing. “And green.” He turned his head to Jack. “What was that sound?”  
  
“Apparently I fixed it, only it took a few minutes.”  
  
“Well, break it again,” Gray demanded.  
  
“No!” Jack demanded. He raised his gun again. “If I have to kill you, I will.”  
  
“I knew you really didn't care about me. You probably just felt bad for Mom, and that's it.”  
  
“If that was true, I would have killed you years ago when I had the chance, instead of freezing you. Gray, I was hoping one day they could cure you.”  
  
“I don't want to be cured. I don't think they can, no matter how many millennia you think you could keep me frozen,” Gray said. “Now what's going on there? Alright Jackson, if you don't change it, then I'll kill you both and do it myself. Systems aren't stable yet. I'm sure I could do enough damage to knock it out.”  
  
“The hell you will!” Jack roared. He moved to push Gwen out of the way as he aimed his gun. At the same time Gray's gun went off and shot Jack in his stomach. Gwen was down on the ground, and Jack crumpled down on her.  
  
Gray went over to Jack and, pulling him off Gwen, shot Jack again and killed him. “Sorry brother, but game's over.” The madman looked down at Gwen and saw her bleeding. “Even if she's not dead now, she will be in a few minutes.” With a laugh he went over to the Rift Manipulator.  
  
Gray stopped to study it, deciding which would be the best way to complete his task. He noticed the opening with panels inside and started to go for it.  
  
  
Meanwhile Ianto had shifted his position, hand clamped over his mouth in horror. He knew that Jack was dead, and hoped that Gwen wasn't. Even if Jack would come back, it still hurt watching Jack die, especially at the hands of his partner's own brother. It only added to the rage and hatred he already had for Gray. If the madman had killed Gwen, adding losing her with Toshiko and Owen, there would not be a death slow or painful enough. Instead of writing Gwen's obituary, he clung to the hope that she was merely injured, and not too badly.  
  
It was now up to him. He had to save Cardiff, if for nothing else but Franklin's sake, even if it killed him. He did want to see his son grow up, but at least Franklin would survive, and Jack would be there for him.  
  
As Gray started to enter through the small opening to the Rift Manipulator, Ianto grabbed onto him. Gray yelled in surprise and raised his gun to fire. Ianto managed to avoid being hit, but the Rift Manipulator wasn't so lucky. He felt the change, and knew what he had managed to do was now undone. He grabbed the hand with the gun and smashed it against another panel. The gun clattered, but the panel took damage. Gray shoved Ianto and started to push buttons, turn dials and move levers. Ianto got his balance and grabbed onto Gray. He had to stop this madman, especially knowing that the Rift Manipulator went active. He could feel the Rift build up. The damage it had taken recently had bypassed all safety precautions that had to be taken to open the Rift, and it would be worse, since it would be unharnessed. He had to stop it, but knew he had to stop Gray first. They started to fight inside the small space, Ianto attempting to maneuver them outside the Manipulator, not wanting more damage done. If he acted fast, he still would be able to shut it down. Whether or not that he would survive was debatable, and most likely he would not. However he had to stop Gray first.  
  
He managed to get the other man outside of the Rift Manipulator and got a good right hook which sent Gray sprawling to the ground. Ianto quickly grabbed his gun, and sparing a quick look around the Hub, noticed that Jack was still dead, while Gwen was sitting up, holding Jack and crying. She gazed at Ianto and he knew that if she was able to, she would help him, but she couldn't. She was too hurt to do any good to them. He could see the terror on her face, believing they would all be dead soon.   
  
Ianto was not going to allow that to happen. He might not survive the next few minutes, but Gwen would. Rhys and her daughter would be safe. Ianto's sister and her family, and their team. Most important of all, Franklin would survive. That was all that mattered to Ianto.  
  
He aimed his gun and shot Gray, a killing shot between the eyes. He could not take any chances. He hoped Jack would someday forgive him for killing his brother, but there was no other choice. Gray was right, Ianto felt it. There would be no hope for him. The poor man was too far gone, had seen and suffered too much and held onto his hatred for Jack for too long.  
  
Ianto dropped the gun, sparing no more thought about it and rushed back into the small chamber, almost being pushed out from the rush of the Rift. He knew there had to be a spectacular display outside. The Hub started to rumble and shake, knowing once again it was being torn apart from the force of the opened Rift and it would be stronger with the Rift now uncontrolled.  
  
He managed to get inside the chamber, and while it took longer than he wanted, he still was able to do what he had to. Unfortunately, he had to try to work faster despite obstacles because he could feel himself start to be ripped apart from the force of the Rift. If he didn't finish soon, it would be all lost. With sheer stubbornness he managed to shut down the Rift, but it was too late for him.  
  
He did not even feel when he crumpled to the ground inside the small space. He did have Jack and Franklin on his mind and hoped they would be okay. 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Rhys rushed into the Hub, followed by Andy, to find Jack on the floor near the Rift Manipulator, holding onto Ianto's body. The Captain sobbed, inconsolable, as he clutched his partner close to him. Gwen knelt on the ground behind Jack, holding him and also crying. Several feet from them was the body of a man that Rhys remembered to be Jack's brother.  
  
“What the bloody hell happened?” Andy exclaimed.  
  
“Oh no,” Rhys moaned. “Is he?”  
  
Gwen looked up at Rhys, tears streaming down her face and nodded, crying harder. “He saved us, Rhys. He gave his life to save us all.”  
  
Jack continued to hold onto Ianto's body.  
  
“Are you and Jack okay? And why is Jack's brother dead over there?” Rhys asked, going over to kneel next to Gwen. He stroked Gwen's face along the dried up blood.  
  
“I'm fine now. I hit my head and was too dizzy to move before. I couldn't help him, Rhys. I couldn't help Ianto and now he's dead!” she cried.  
  
Rhys gathered her in his arms and held her, his own eyes starting to tear up. He liked Ianto. Ianto was a mate. They had become close friends since Rhys started to help Torchwood out. He also felt for Jack and baby Franklin, knowing how he would feel if he lost Gwen.  
  
Daniel entered the Hub. “What the fuck happened?” he demanded. “Oh Jesus fuck no!” he swore when he saw Ianto in Jack's arms. He still knelt next to the two men, and attempted to check for himself.  
  
“He's gone,” Jack sobbed. “He left me. I knew it would happen one day, but I'm not ready for it. It's too soon. It's not fair. He should have seen Frankie grow up more.” He clenched onto Ianto tighter, rocking them. “Oh dammit! I lost him!”  
  
Daniel managed to check for a pulse and the little hope he held onto was gone. “I'm sorry, Jack. What happened?”  
  
“Gray happened,” Jack spat out. He looked up and glared at the body of his brother. “He was responsible for Toshiko's and Owen's deaths, and now he killed Ianto.”  
  
“And you killed him for that?” Andy asked as Daniel went to look over Gwen.  
  
“Take her over to the couch for now,” Daniel said, helping Rhys bring Gwen to her feet. “You do have a nasty cut, but it stopped bleeding and I don't think you need stitches. However, I would like to use some butterfly strips to minimise scarring.”  
  
Rhys looked around the Hub, taking in its appearance. “This looks worse than when I left.”  
  
“The Rift would do that,” Gwen said bitterly. “The Rift was unstable, but we didn't detect it until it almost went critical. Ianto was able to stop it, but then Gray shot Jack and I got hurt, and then Ianto started to fight him, but Gray set the Rift off again. Ianto killed Gray and went in to stop it again. If he hadn't, all of Cardiff would have been gone by now, but he died while stopping it.” Gwen leaned against Rhys and started to cry again.  
  
“You take care of your wife,” Daniel said as Celine came rushing into the Hub.  
  
“Holy God, what the bloody hell?” She asked.  
  
“Celine,” Gwen said, realising that Jack was in no condition to take control, “please check the Rift Manipulator. Make sure it's not about to go unstable again.”  
  
“I thought that's what happened. I remembered that night in 2005 and it was close enough. I rushed as fast as I could to get here, but most of the bay area shook like it was an earthquake and took a lot of damage. I would have been here sooner.”  
  
Rhys nodded. “That's true. I left my car and went the rest of the way by foot,” he said from his spot next to the couch.  
  
She dropped heavily into her chair, but instead of looking at her computer, her eyes were on Jack and Ianto. “Ianto? Is he...?” Her voice cracked and she was unable to finish.  
  
Gwen nodded. “Yeah. He gave his life to save us all.”  
  
Silently, Celine attempted to concentrate on the task Gwen had given her. Ianto had given his life to keep them safe, so she could not take the chance of undoing it by missing something, even if she did not feel like working right then.  
  
Rhys sat next to Gwen and held her while she continued to cry, her eyes on Daniel, who was attempting to get Ianto away from Jack and take the body down to autopsy. Jack was putting up a fight, not wanting to release his partner's body yet. Celine was at work at her station, checking the Rift Manipulator and pulling up any damage to other systems that needed attention. It was something that she had done not that long ago, and cursed herself for missing any signs that the Rift Manipulator was in danger of going unstable. She also should have run a check on the Vaults, but did not think of the cryogenic cells at the time. She added a check if there were any others.   
  
A cry from above made her look up to find Myfanwy circling the upper area of the Hub. Celine opened the hatch from inside her nest so she could go out, knowing she must have been upset from the Hub shaking as it did. Instead of taking advantage of the chance to escape, she came to a landing several feet from Jack and Ianto, and let out a mournful cry. Until then, Celine was able to hold herself together, but after seeing that, she could not help but start to cry as she continued to work. Andy went down to check the integrity of the cells where they kept their prisoners, making sure nothing escaped and the cells were secure.  
  
Daniel finally had managed to coax Jack into taking Ianto down to autopsy, and was helping the bereft man to his feet. Jack insisted on carrying Ianto himself.  
  
Gwen heard the alert tone to Ianto's phone go off. “Rhys, could you get Ianto's phone please? I think he left it on his workstation.” Her eyes teared up again.  
  
“Sure love,” Rhys said and went over to retrieve the phone. He saw there was a message from Dwayne. Ianto was usually the first choice to contact through text or phone call if there was any delay in coming to the Hub. Rhys read the message and placed Ianto's phone back on the workstation. He went back to Gwen. “Dwayne said that he's on his way in, but it's going to take a while.”  
  
“He did it again,” Gwen said softly about Gray. “At least he didn't succeed in completely destroying Cardiff, but he did enough damage.” She started to stand up.  
  
Rhys tried to push her down again. “You need to sit down until Daniel checks you out,” he argued.  
  
“I can sit at my workstation. I need to see what's going on out there,” she insisted. “I take it Tamryn's okay?” she asked.  
  
Rhys nodded. “She is. I left her with the Halsons,” he said, referring to their neighbours who sometimes babysat for them whenever they needed a sitter fast.  
  
“I need to see how bad Jack and Ianto's housing development was affected,” Gwen insisted. “I need to make sure Franklin's okay. Bad enough Jack lost Ianto, but if he lost that little boy, Jack would...I don't know what he would do, but it wouldn't be good.”  
  
“Why not call her?” Rhys asked.  
  
Gwen gave him a look, and then while frowning asked, “Do you want to tell her that her brother is dead?”  
  
Rhys shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Someone will have to soon. She is his sister, after all.” He shook his head. “But no, I don't want to be the one to tell her.”  
  
“I rather wait until Jack decides how she should be told,” Gwen said. “Now help me. I need to see what's going on.”  
  
“Alright, you bloody stubborn woman, but I want you to relax as much as you can there. And if Daniel yells at me for letting you move, you're cooking for a month.”  
  
“As if you'll go that long with my cooking,” Gwen said with a small chuckle and then started to stand up.  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
Death, Ianto had decided in retrospect, was quick and painless. Life, however, he had quickly discovered was painful. He felt as if his entire body, inside and out was being dragged along broken glass as molten lava ran through his body. He could not describe the pain he felt, but one thing it told him. He was no longer dead. He had no time to be confused as he needed to take a breath, but could not no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to scream from a combination of the seemingly eternal pain and frustration in being unable to take a breath, but that wasn't happening either. He started to panic, wondering if his return to life from the darkness was only temporary   
and he would be back in that dark place again with no way of getting out, stuck there for eternity. He tried to move limbs – any one would do, but he had no control of his body. He continued his internal struggle until he was finally able to take a deep breath, wanting to scream because it was even more painful than what he had been feeling so far. He let out a gasp, his body jerking upward. He found he was able to reach his arms out, fingers clawing for something to grab onto.  
  
His eyes snapped open wide, still reaching, hoping to connect to something. He gasped again, his body conversing as he felt blood rush through his veins like fire and the breath burning through his lungs. He was caught by two strong arms and he heard a voice that he immediately centred on.   
  
“IANTO!” Jack cried out in disbelief and astonishment, clinging desperately to Ianto.  
  
Ianto reached out and his fingers found arms to dig into, drawing out a cry from the arm's owner. The turmoil within his body started to fade. He was becoming aware of Jack's unique scent and the familiar warmth of Jack's body. He leaned into the embrace, not caring if the hold was too tight.  
  
“Ianto! Oh God, Ianto!” Jack cried out. “You're alive! Oh sweet gods, you're alive!” Jack's voice cracked as a new onslaught of tears overcame him, but these were glorious tears. Jack pulled away slightly, teary, red puffy eyes staring at Ianto's face. He looked a mess, but to Ianto he never looked more gorgeous. Jack reverently touched the side of Ianto's face with his left hand, his right now having a vice-like grip on one of Ianto's hands. “You're back! I thought I lost you,” Jack continued, his words broken by sobs. “I thought I lost you,” he repeated, his eyes drinking in the wonderful sight of his resurrected partner, at the gorgeous ice blue eyes that stared back at him in amazement and love.  
  
Ianto took another deep breath, this one not hurting at all, and allowed himself to be embraced once again by Jack, wrapping his own arms around his partner. “Jack,” he sighed, feeling safe. He was overwhelmed by what had just happened and clung to Jack more. Jack's only response was to hold tighter too, dropping kisses on Ianto's head, on the side of his face. Tears dripped from Jack's face onto Ianto, but Ianto did not mind. He just needed to be held by Jack for a while longer. Ianto had no idea how it happened, but being back with Jack, his partner's relief and joy at the miracle so palpable that Ianto could never regret what had just happened. He was back from the dead, with Jack and had a second chance to see their son grow up. While there was still plenty of shock he was yet to overcome, he was most certainly not complaining.  
  
When he finally was able to pull away slightly from Jack, he looked up to find most of the team staring down at them at the railing with big smiles, even if there were still traces of shock on their faces. Ianto could not blame them for feeling that way. He still was, and he could feel so was Jack, but all in all, it was a wondrous thing for them all. Never did you get a second chance at having a team member back after losing them to death, unless it was Jack or if you had a Risen Mitten. Daniel hovered close to Jack and Ianto, running a scanner on Ianto.  
  
Jack looked over Ianto's shoulder to Daniel, a touch of fear in his eyes.  
  
“He's back with us,” Daniel announced. “And I don't think it's temporary.” He continued to study his readings.  
  
“But how?” Jack asked in wonder. He tentatively touched Ianto's face, softly caressing the skin with his fingertips.  
  
“He's saturated with Rift Energy and something else,” Daniel stated. “And that something else is pretty much what I get readings of from you when I know what I'm scanning for. I can't tell you if we just got lucky this one time, or if it's a permanent condition now. The Rift energy should have killed him, but instead I think it remade him.” Daniel shrugged. “For lack of a better way of putting it. My suggestion is to watch him with minor injuries, even something as small as a paper cut. We'll have to take this one day at a time.”   
  
“What are you saying, Dan?” Jack asked, putting his arms around Ianto again. Ianto rested his head against Jack's, just content to be where he was again. Hell, he was just content to  _be_.  
  
“I don't know what I'm saying, except well, the obvious. Ianto's back with us. Based on experience around here, I know what that looks like, but I don't know.” Daniel looked at Ianto. “I do want to do more testing, just to be on the safe side, but I don't think you'll be keeling over on us anytime soon.” The doctor shook his head, as he studied the display screen on his scanner. “Hell, you're in better condition than before this.” He put the scanner on the tray of a nearby portable table and looked back to Ianto and Jack. “That being said, for now I want you both out of my autopsy bay. I do have other things to do down here.”  
  
Jack looked down, suddenly losing his smile, but still clung to Ianto. Ianto pulled his head away to study Jack. “I'm so sorry, Jack. I know you would have preferred to save him, but I really didn't see any other choice.” He shook his head sadly. “Besides, he would have killed Frankie if he had his way. As well as friends and family.”  
  
“I know, Ianto. I'm not mad at you. If anything I'm relieved.” Jack sighed. “I should be upset that Gray is dead, but I can't be. I'm just sorry that it had to end up that way. All I know is that he killed you, and threatened my son. All bets were off then. He wasn't the brother I was missing; he hadn't been for a very long time.”   
  
Ianto turned his head slightly as he nodded in agreement and softly kissed the skin near Jack's ear. He understood very well what Jack meant. He had been there once with Lisa. _Look where that almost left them,_  Ianto mused, but it was okay now. Lisa and Gray were hopefully at peace now, but considering what he remembered from his time dead he was not sure with all the darkness he found himself in. He remembered Jack talking about the darkness. Owen and Suzie had even mentioned it. He would ponder about that later, especially since everyone he had talked about the darkness after death were from people who had been there and came aback. Right now the important thing was that both Gray and Lisa could never harm them again, or destroy a world. The most important thing was that Ianto had survived the two and was now back with Jack.  
  
Jack leaned close and brushed his lips against Ianto's face. “Even if you're alive again and Frankie is safe.” He suddenly pulled away from Ianto. “Oh God! Do we know that Frankie's okay? What about your sister and her family? They had to have felt something on the wharf” Jack's face was suddenly stricken with fear.  
  
“Relax Jack. I'm sure they're okay,” Ianto attempted to assure Jack, but his partner's anxiety was contagious. They did live close enough that the homes on Bocei Wharf development had to have been affected, even minimally. “Where's my mobile?”  
  
“Up on your workstation last I checked, now get out of here and make that call,” Daniel insisted. “Jack, you go with him, and give me a chance to prepare your brother's body.” He looked up. “Rhys, can you give me a hand with Gray?”  
  
“You got it mate,” Rhys called down. “Ianto, I'm glad you're back with us,” he added with a grin before disappearing from the railing.  
  
Jack moved away and helped Ianto off the autopsy table and made sure Ianto was able to stand on his own feet. Together they started for the stairs, suddenly needing to talk to Ianto's sister, and know that everyone in their family was fine. They really wanted to see Franklin, but that was not likely to happen for a while. They knew they had to be in the Hub for at least a few more hours, if not overnight. Even if they did leave then, unless the underground tunnel that led to their townhouse was clear, which Jack doubted, it could still be difficult to the navigate the short distance to their home for at least a few hours more. Jack vaguely remembered hearing Gwen report on the situation around the Bay. Jack knew it was already messy around Plass area that needed serious clean up, and this was worse. The only thing he took comfort in was the damage was not as extensive as when Gray had Hart set the bombs off.  
  
The only problem was they discovered why Rhiannon had not called yet wondering what was going on and if everyone was okay. Communications had gone down completely in the area since everything had happened and they could not get any calls out. They were still able to get on the internet and CCTV through Torchwood's own alien Mainframe and the systems connected to it, though.  
  
Gwen watched as Jack paced the Hub, looking anxious, but managing to hover near Ianto. Ianto was working to connect onto the Evans' laptop, which had some Torchwood software on it just in case of situations like this. After leaving a message for someone from his family to contact them through the connection Ianto opened, Ianto then turned on the CCTV cameras in their townhouse to assess damage, wishing they had thought to equip Rhiannon's townhouse with more surveillance systems. Technically Rhiannon was Torchwood being that she was on payroll as a nanny for the team. Johnny also assisted with various small jobs that were not too dangerous for some extra money, placing him on payroll too as an uncontracted advisor, which was the title Jack had given him. Once things were cleared up from this current mess, Ianto planned to speak to Jack about upgrading the Evans' townhouse with more Torchwood equipment to match what the others on the team had in their homes.  
  
Rhiannon and her family lived in a townhouse in the same development as Jack and Ianto. The Evanses had been offered the townhouse when the development was still in construction at no cost when Jack was pregnant with Franklin. Jack and Ianto had insisted it was for convenience of having her close to them for fast drop offs of the baby once he was born. Rhiannon was already watching Gwen's children during the day and it also made sense having all the children close to the Hub instead of having to go out of the way to drop off and pick up the children. Rhiannon became the official Torchwood nanny, and eventually accepted moving her family out of the estate home they had and into the new state-of-the-art townhouse.  
  
What actually decided it was being so close to her brother, who until recently she had hardly seen. It did mean seeing Ianto almost daily, which she was ecstatic about. It was easy for Jack to offer since the development was built on the old docks at the end of Pierhead St and along Tyneside Rd next to Roath Dock. That section of docks belonged to Torchwood, because the original entries to the underground facilities were located in various businesses in the old dock area since Torchwood's inception in 1885, the land being granted to the Cardiff branch by Queen Victoria, to allow ease and access to building both under and over ground whatever was needed for Torchwood Three to run smoothly. It had come in handy for the building of the train tunnels which connected Torchwoods One, Two and Three.  
  
  
As the years went by and construction underground seemed to stop, small parcels of land surrounding the Hub went out for sale. The parcels were bought up by a company that, unknown at the times of sales, was a cover operation for Captain Jack Harkness, knowing what the value of the lands which at the time of sale had fallen into ruin would someday be. Despite development of the Wales Millennium Centre, the Roald Dahl Plass and Mermaid Quay, the property was actually leased from a blanket company for Torchwood.  
  
With the boom of redevelopment around the bay, Jack had also included the construction of Bocei Wharf. Before the completion Jack and Ianto were seriously involved, and Jack made sure one of the townhouses in the development would be theirs. During construction, he had UNIT engineers come in and build the start of the tunnel linking their home to the Hub. Terraforming had completed the link between the started tunnel by UNIT and the Hub, using alien technology that had been used over the decades to further expand the Hub.  
  
Ianto called Jack over as he viewed their lounge. “Jack. Looks like we have some clean-up at home to do, but nothing too bad, I don't think.”  
  
Jack came over and peered over Ianto's shoulder at the images as Ianto directed views from the various cameras in their townhouse. “No structural damage, thank goodness,” Jack said with a sigh, although he still sounded anxious. Ianto knew exactly why and was feeling exactly the same. They would continue to feel that way until they had heard from Rhiannon.  
  
“More cleanup, however,” Ianto said with a groan. There was going to be more than enough of that in the Hub. “Some shelves down. I don't think we lost anything expensive however.”  
  
“As long as we find out that Frankie and Rhiannon's family are all fine, I don't care,” Jack stated tensely. “We can replace things.”  
  
Ianto stood up and moved them so he could hold Jack in his arms. The older immortal man wrapped his arms around Ianto and held him close. He felt Jack tremble, still recovering from Ianto's death and believing he had lost the man he loved more than anything with the only exception being their son. Ianto had a feeling that Jack was far from over his separation anxiety and recent events now would include Ianto.   
  
“It's okay, Jack,” Ianto said softly as Jack held him tightly. “I'm here now. I still don't know how but I'm not going to complain.”  
  
“Neither am I,” came Jack's muffled response because his face was tucked in the crook of Ianto's neck. “I'm so glad I didn't lose you.”  
  
“Frankie's fine too, I'm sure. It's just going to take a bit for someone to realise there's a message waiting for them. For all I know, they have the laptop shutdown thinking there's no use using it to get outside information. One of the kids is bound to turn it on, as they always do, and get the message.”  
  
“I hope so,” Jack stated.  
  
“Look, why don't I make some coffee and... oh bugger, we don't have a coffee machine.” Ianto rubbed Jack's back before pulling away, a smirk on his face. “However, I have one down in my office,” he said. “It's just your average coffeemaker, but any coffee is better than nothing.”  
  
Jack smiled at Ianto. “Yeah. And your coffee no matter the coffeemaker is always better than average.”  
  
Ianto took Jack by the hand. “Shall we get it then?” The action would take care of two things. The first being the team getting much needed coffee while they worked, and the second being that Ianto hoped having a task would take their minds off waiting to hear from Rhiannon and worrying about their infant son.  
  
“Yeah,” Jack said with a nod. “Let's get it.” The older man started to lead Ianto toward the entrance to the Archives.  
  
Ianto knew better than to expect Jack to wait while he went to get the coffeemaker so he did not attempt it.  
  
When they returned with the coffeemaker, Rhys and Daniel were finished with preparing Gray's body, but placed the it in a storage unit in the upper Hub until they were able to assess the damage and work out what to do with the cells.  
  
As Ianto made the coffee, from his place hovering close to the Welshman, Jack looked around the Hub, taking in the new damage. They were going to be cleaning up for days. Jack helped Ianto distribute the coffee and they were heading to Jack's office when they heard the tone indicating there was a message waiting for them. Instead he grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him over to his workstation.  
  
  
The sound of both men suddenly laughing brought the rest of the team over to see what caused the couple's. There was a short video sent from Rhiannon's phone of Johnny hiding behind Franklin and making him wave. The baby was giggling.  
  
Ianto gathered Jack in his arms and held him tight. They were all all right, and Rhiannon's home seemed to not suffer any more damage than they had. As they watched the video one more time, Jack hugged Ianto from behind and let out a heavy sigh. All was fine in his world again. They could deal with the cleaning up and whatever else needed of the Hub, and sorting their own home as long as they were still together, their son, family and friends were safe. Everything else was all secondary and could be handled, as far as Jack and Ianto were concerned. The other members of the team were quick to agree with them.  
  
Gwen came over to them, placing a hand on each shoulder. “Boys, Celine reports that the Rift Manipulator is stabilised. Daniel has the bodies secure until we can work out a permanent place. Andy said that our prisoner is secure, along with all our residents in the cells. We were going to take the rest of the day and night off to rest before clean-up before this happened. I suggest we do exactly that, even if it takes a while for some of us to go home.”  
  
“I don't suggest,” Daniel said, coming over to join them. “I'm making it a medical order for you three. You never left the Hub yet. I'm going to stay here overnight. I did manage to get a little rest before coming back here. Andy and Dwayne also said they are staying too. We'll get some of the general clean up done, and see what else needs to be tackled once we all reconvene here later tomorrow.”  
  
Jack turned to face the doctor. “I couldn't....”  
  
“You could. I'm making it an order because while your sister-in-law's cute email alleviated some of your anxiety, you're not ready to spend the next few days away from your son, especially after today's events. You need family time, Jack. You need to spend at least tonight and tomorrow morning with Ianto and Frankie.” Daniel faced Ianto. “I can see on your face that you believe it's your job to catalogue the extent of damage, but right now, you also need time with your family. Gwen, you and Rhys also need the family time too after today. None of you will end up being of any use to us. So do it, so Jack, you and Ianto could return ready to lead us, while Gwen, you can back them up. We do have a lot to do, but it won't get done with mismanagement and people dropping from exhaustion.”  
  
Jack sighed, slipping an arm around Ianto's shoulder. “You're probably right, even if my mind is saying I belong here, but my heart just needs to hold Franklin and Ianto together.”  
  
“Then shoo. It'll probably take you long enough into the rest of tonight to get to Rhiannon's.”  
  
Ianto hugged Jack to him. “You're probably right. C'mon, Jack. Let's go. We'll be back tomorrow, and hopefully be ready to tackle this mess.”  
  
“Okay, but I have one more concern,” Jack stated.  
  
“What's that?” Ianto asked.  
  
“Daniel, didn't you want to examine Ianto more?” Jack asked.  
  
“Yes, but not right now. I know enough to know he's fine. He's healthy and in no danger of not staying that way as long as he doesn't get himself in anymore trouble.”  
  
“If you're sure,” Jack relented.  
  
“I'm positive. The further testing is just to help determine more about what happened, and if Ianto's planning on doing more of your gasping back to life act in the future,” Daniel said.  
  
Ianto nodded, still not sure how he felt about the night's events, except he was glad that Jack and Franklin did not lose him that day. The rest he would deal with later. His family came first, and while he knew he did need to see their son, he knew Jack was going to be a twitching wreck soon if he did not get Jack to his sister's house and get Franklin.  
  
“Fine. We'll leave,” Ianto said. “And Gwen and Rhys could leave with us.”  
  
“Celine, if you're certain all our systems are now secure, I do believe the good doctor had you on bed rest for the next day or two,” Jack called out to their computer tech.  
  
“You don't have two days to go without me,” Celine argued. “So I'll leave now and rest up, then come in tomorrow afternoon. Will that do, Daniel?”  
  
“I wish I could argue, but that will have to do. However, when you come back in, if you feel at anytime that you are overdoing it, you will tell us and stand down,” Daniel demanded.  
  
“Doctor's orders,” Jack stated, “and now mine. Okay, everyone clear out except for those taking the watch shift tonight.”  
  
Ianto looked at Daniel. “What about dinner? I don't think it will be easy to order take out tonight?”  
  
“One of us will sort it out, even if it means going out of the area and returning. We'll be fine,” Andy said coming over to the group. “Worry about getting yourselves rested.”  
  
Jack added, “I'm sure there is still our lunch in the boardroom, if nothing else.”  
  
“It is,” Rhys said. “I put it all up before leaving, because I know how you lot can get at times. I figured when you were ready you could heat it up.”  
  
Jack smiled at Rhys. “Thanks, Rhys. Well now, food's sorted. I think that's it.”  
  
Realising everything was covered, Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Rhys and Celine left the Hub.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

  
  
Ianto opened the door late the next morning to find Gwen, Andy and Dwayne waiting. “What’s this?” he asked looking surprised.  
  
After they had left the Hub, Jack and Ianto had hurried along as best as they were able to get to Rhiannon's home and pick up their son. They took a quick tour of the house, making sure there was no immediate work needed to be done. Satisfied that it was only pick up and cleaning, they left for their own home with Franklin. As expected, they found more of the same like Rhiannon's home, no structure damage that they could see right off. They put Franklin in his basinet, keeping him in sight while they did the more pressing cleanup. They were tired, and wanted to fall into bed upon coming home, but Ianto would not rest with their floors cluttered with items which belonged on shelves. They did quick work of it, planning on continuing the next day, which what they had been doing before stopping and taking a rest. It was time to feed and change Franklin anyway, which made it a perfect time to the couple to stop.  
  
After Franklin was fed and changed, they had a late full breakfast, and were relaxing for a couple of more hours before they were to start getting ready to go to the Hub. Ianto had already checked with the authorities to find they would be able to get a car out of their development if it was needed. The damage was mostly broken glass and, inside the buildings in the area, things falling over. The streets were slowly opening for traffic except for one or two in the immediate area that had cracks.  
   
“Don't worry,” Gwen stated quickly, “we're not here to drag you and Jack into work. The opposite, actually.” She smiled at him. “We figured we'd come here and give you a brief on what's going on, so then you and Jack don't need to come in until tomorrow.” In a lower voice she added, “I would think Jack would like more time with you and Frankie?”  
   
Ianto sighed and stepped aside. “You're right. He's in the lounge playing with Frankie. He kept Frankie in our bed last night because he wanted all of us together.”  
   
Andy snorted. “I hardly think the three of you would fit in Frankie's cot.”  
   
Ianto rolled his eyes, and pretended to otherwise ignore Andy. “So you want to give us a briefing in our lounge. We'll need coffee then, so go on. You know where it is and I'll be there shortly.” Ianto smiled at them and followed them down the hall, turning into a doorway which led into the kitchen.  
   
As he left them, he heard Dwayne remark, “I still can't get used to seeing him in jeans and tee-shirt at home.”  
   
Ianto smiled and started on the coffee.  
   
OoOoOoO  
   
When Ianto entered the lounge with the coffee, Jack stood up to help him. Not that Ianto needed any help, being quite able to handle a serving tray with a carafe of coffee and mugs, along with sugar and cream for everyone, but Jack felt that he had to take the tray from Ianto and carefully make his way toward the coffee table.  
   
Ianto figured that he was out of Jack's sight for too long, even if he did hasten in the kitchen. Jack must have been restraining himself from rushing into the kitchen just to see Ianto. On the subject of Jack's issues, Ianto glanced around the room and found Frankie being cuddled by Gwen, who was smiling and talking to the baby. Frankie was cooing and kicking his feet. Ianto watched with a smile as Jack poured coffee into the mugs and distributed them, telling their guests to fix their own coffee.  
   
Ianto moved over to take Frankie from Gwen and allow her to fix her coffee. He lifted Frankie up so he could kiss the baby's nose and then went to move Jack to his favourite arm chair. Still holding their son, Ianto settled himself on the arm of the chair, allowing Jack to slip an arm around Ianto's waist.  
   
“So, what's going on?” Jack asked, once everyone was settled again, sipping on their coffee.  
   
“Well, Rhys and I walked in this morning to find an interrogation in process down in the cells,” Gwen explained. She looked over at Dwayne and Andy. “Rhys and Daniel are overseeing the Hub, by the way. Apparently there was some cleaning done overnight too.”  
   
Dwayne shrugged. “We did what we could, but there's still much work to be done. Ianto, we were compiling a list of what needs to be fixed and what is needed to be replaced.”  
   
“Coffee machine,” Andy piped up.  
   
“You hardly drink coffee, Andy,” Gwen remarked.  
   
“And when I do, I prefer Ianto's, thank you. Besides, I'm not going to deal with you lot when you're all in a bloody bad mood without decent coffee,” Andy said, making the others laugh.  
   
“As you were saying,” Jack said to Dwayne when the laughing stopped. “I take it that we'll be able to access the lists on our laptops.”  
   
“Yes,” Dwayne said. “Along with our reports through the night. We're yet to work on the reports on the results of the interrogation, but that's because Gwen felt we needed to report to you in person first.”  
   
Gwen nodded. “Yes, this is big. And we need to figure out what to do with our prisoner too.”  
   
“Do we know why they decided to invade the Hub then?” Jack asked.  
   
“Yes, we do,” Andy said.  
   
“Well, we do know that they were after Jack,” Ianto added, “but it is nice to know why.”  
   
“Actually it wasn't Jack they were after,” Dwayne announced. “It was Ianto. He was the immortal one they were after.”  
   
“What?!?” Jack asked, leaning forward, his arm moving from its place around Ianto's waist. “How could they know when it didn't happen yet?”  
   
“Exactly. Just as Ianto suspected, they're from the future,” Dwayne added. “The 32nd century. Apparently our visitors managed to get their hands on some tech that allowed them to travel in time. Their plan was to go back before Ianto became immortal and kill him.”  
   
Andy shrugged. “It looks like you had a major role in their royal family being usurped and the planet going under lockdown.”  
   
Jack stared up at Ianto with an amazed look. “It was you?” he asked. “You were the immortal they were after?” He reached out to take Ianto's hand. “Then it's certain. You are now.”  
   
Ianto shrugged. “I guess so, if that's why they came back.”  
   
“Their timing was a bit too close to the event they were hoping to prevent. So while the prisoner was stuck in a cell, the very thing he wanted to prevent had happened,” Dwayne explained.   
  
Gwen nodded. “And as a direct result of his own actions.”  
  
Jack leaned his head back against the cushions of this chair and covered his eyes with his free hand. “Oi! Paradoxes always give me a headache, especially when it's too close to me.”  
  
Rubbing Jack's shoulder, Ianto chuckled. “I'm not sure what to make of it, but serves the bastards right for invading us and killing Cam. I'm almost of the mind of leaving him alive for some time and let him think on that.”  
  
“What happened to you last night is what broke him, Ianto,” Dwayne said. “Andy mentioned to our prisoner that he was lucky Ianto came back instead of us losing two team members because of their invasion. Which led to us clarifying that we thought Ianto is now immortal.” Dwayne shrugged. “Andy kind of lost himself and wanted to make the prisoner feel bad. He thanked the prisoner for opening the opportunity for you, Jack, never having to lose Ianto. The Rhialtri lost it about then, and while I don't think he meant to, he let it all out that it was too late now, how their mission was lost and cursing Ianto for becoming immortal. We managed to get the rest of the story from him after that.”  
I  
“We're pretty certain there will be no danger of any more coming back and attempting an attack at an earlier time,” Gwen added. “There were only those three who were able to obtain the tech, after a long time planning, to make it possible. They managed to steal the tech and used it to come back here before they were caught. They had no intentions of returning because they claim there would be imprisonment on a penal colony, torture and eventually death, so they never intended to come back. Two are dead and there's only the one in our cell.”  
   
“Might I add that he expects to be killed,” Dwayne stated. “I would even say he's counting on it.”  
  
Jack leaned back again, resting his hand on Ianto's knee, still staring up at him. “Write up a report on the interrogation and send it to me. Then we'll decide the fate of our prisoner. If we don't have any further need for him, then we'll make him happy because he'll be disposed of.” Jack rubbed the leg he still rested his hand on. “It'll be up to you on form of execution and who carries it out.” He lifted his eyes to gauge Gwen's reactions. “You don't have to be around if we are going that option.”  
  
Ianto nodded distracted.  
   
“Before I forget, if there are any specifics about what Ianto does in the future, I'd rather you leave it out and keep it to yourself, please,” Jack added.  
   
Dwayne and Andy nodded. “I understand,” Dwayne said.  
   
“I guess you already know enough,” Andy added. “I mean with you definitely being immortal and all, if you will be around in the 32nd century.”  
   
Ianto took a deep breath, and nodded again.  
   
“One thing,” Gwen said, “I think for Jack's sake, he needs to know this. You were mentioned by our prisoner. Apparently you and Ianto are still together.”  
   
“Gwen!” Andy protested.  
   
“Jack needs to know, Andy!” Gwen insisted. “Look at him. He's anxious. He's still afraid of losing his family. Well, he's not going to lose Ianto because they seem to still be together 1100 years in the future. I think he needs to know at least that much, and hopefully start feeling better.”  
   
Ianto let out a heavy sigh and shifted so he could place Franklin on Jack's lap, and then he placed his arm around Jack's shoulders and pulling him closer, he kissed Jack's head. “I know I feel better about everything knowing I'm still with you,” he said softly.  
   
Jack looked up again and gave Ianto a weak smile. “Yeah. No matter what else, I can start believing that I'll always have you.” He studied Ianto's face. “Are you okay with this?”  
   
“I'm still somewhat dealing with the shock of coming back from the dead last night, but I wasn't sure if it was a one time deal or what. Now we know, and while part of me is rejoicing that you'll never have to lose me as long as you want me around, I don't know what to think of it. It's more than a bit daunting.”  
   
“I'm here for you, Ianto. You have that, which is more than I had. Imagine my surprise the first time it had happened for me. I didn't know anyone else like me. It was impossible. Out of everything I had seen and done in my life until then, that was still an impossible thing. Inconceivable,” Jack said.  
   
Gwen nodded in agreement. “I can't even imagine what Jack felt, but at least you have Jack and how he had to deal with his gift. Now you can share it with him.”  
   
Jack stared at Gwen, lifting his eyebrows. “Gift? Gwen if you lived my life....”  
   
“Well, it's different now, isn't it? You're not alone anymore. You won't lose everyone, because you'll have Ianto. And look at everything you had done since then? All you've done with Torchwood, especially after you took control. And fighting in those wars. I'd call that a gift, Jack,” Gwen said.  
   
Ianto covered Jack's hand with his own. “And all the wars we will fight,” he said softly. “Together.”  
   
“Jack, you would never have met Ianto,” Dwayne pointed out, “if you weren't immortal.”  
   
Jack stared at Dwayne. “I never thought of that, but I should have.”  
   
Gwen smiled as she stood up. “Think of all the good you and Ianto are going to go on to do. And you do have Ianto and Frankie. That alone says to me that it's a gift.”  
   
Ianto nodded. “Just the thought of not leaving Jack unless it's what he wants is enough to make me feel like it's a gift. However, I still need to deal with it, even if it is good for me.”  
   
“And you will, Ianto,” Jack said. “Don't you dare bottle up on this either,” he warned. “Whatever is on your mind, any doubt or fear, please come to me. What's the use of us having all this time if we can't share everything?”  
   
Ianto smiled down at Jack. “I promise but only under one condition.” At Jack's questioning look, Ianto continued, “You need to open yourself about your anxiety, no matter how silly you might feel about it. Your fears are real and therefore, not silly. It's important, Jack. So talk to me.” He gave Jack a lopsided grin. “It's not like you hide it well anyway.” He squeezed the hand under his. “So do we have a deal?”  
   
Jack looked down and paid attention to Franklin for a few seconds before he looked up again. “Deal,” he said with a strained smile.  
   
Gwen gestured to the other two men who arrived with her to stand up. “Right. We'll be going now. Once the reports are completed, filed and sent your way, I'm going to send Daniel and these two home for the day. Rhys and I will watch over the Hub, and Celine will be coming in this afternoon. We'll deal. Meanwhile you and Ianto make sure you get some rest and use the time wisely.”  
   
“I was going to suggest the same about those who stayed overnight. If the Rift remains quiet, I want those of you still there to leave no later than 7,” Jack said. “We'll all be busy enough tomorrow.”  
   
“I'm so glad Tosh managed to add that additional failsafe to the Rift Manipulator,” Ianto said, also standing up. “The one where we're able shutdown and control it so we don't have any backlash like we did the first time we opened the Rift, and that Celine had enhanced it since.”  
   
“It's going to be quiet for at least a week, maybe more until it starts building up enough energy to start spitting out whatever it wants our way,” Jack said.  
   
“As well as taking what it wants,” Gwen added with a shudder.  
   
“At least it's happening less frequently,” Ianto said. “It's been months since it took someone.”  
   
“True. Maybe one day Celine could find a way to completely stop it from taking,” Jack said. “It's on her project list. However, for the foreseeable future, we have repairs, and I suppose some rebuilding in some areas.  I'm open to redesign ideas, like you did the last time we let the Rift loose.” He also stood up, shifting Franklin in his arms. “Thanks for coming over with this, and for giving us some much needed time together before having to deal with the mess at the Hub.” He looked over to Ianto. “Do you want to show everyone to the door or change this peewee?”  
   
Ianto sniffed in the direction of Jack and Franklin. “I'll see our guests out,” he said and with a wink led the others out of the lounge.  
   
Jack laughed and turned Franklin around so he could look at the baby's face. “For a little guy, you are stinky pants. I don't blame your Tad, but we do have to get him used to changing you more.” He kissed the baby's nose and then headed out of the lounge toward the nursery.  
   
OoOoOoO  
   
Later that night, Ianto slept in Jack's arms. Despite the revelations from earlier in the day, Jack still insisted on having Franklin with them. At least Ianto managed to convince Jack to keep Franklin in a bassinette next to the bed on Jack's side instead of in the bed with them. Ianto fell into a peaceful sleep, enjoying being held by Jack, knowing they could have nights like this for a long time. Ianto was also glad that he was able to still sleep. In fact, he was bone weary tired by the time they had retired to their bedroom. Jack had said he should have known sooner about his immortality, but it was so inconceivable to him, that it never was a consideration when he first found himself back in the late 19th century after escaping Satellite Five, even when he found he didn't sleep much. He admitted that being from a future where people aged slower, the fact that he was not aging for the over twenty years since he had arrived on Earth in 1869 until he was killed in 1892 did not faze him. Ianto was certain he would be able to function several days without sleep, but considering the last couple of days, and knowing what was in store for them back at the Hub, he decided to test that theory another time, and gratefully fell into the bed he shared with Jack.  
   
He did lay awake in Jack's arms long enough to know when Jack finally fell asleep. Only then Ianto allowed himself to sleep.  
   
During the night, as he continued to sleep he had a dream about him and Jack. They were far in the future, living in New York City with three children – a son and twin daughters. Like with most dreams, when Ianto was awakened by Franklin's crying, demanding to be fed, Ianto had completely forgotten about the dream.  
  


 


End file.
